Pinstriping
by Shahrezad1
Summary: Ruby wants to try something new in an effort to annoy her grandmother. Archie doesn't think that this is such a good idea. Mild RedXCricket. Just a one-shot, nothing more. ;


Pinstriping

By Shahrezad1

Summary: Ruby wants to try something new in an effort to annoy her grandmother. Archie doesn't think that this is such a good idea. Mild RedXCricket.

Disclaimer: Disney owns everything, even ABC. I don't own the characters, they just like to play along sometimes. :)

~/~/~

"I'm thinking about getting a tattoo. What do you think I should get?"

The question was thrown into the air with a grin, Ruby's lips stretching from cheek to cheek. She dodged a look at both members of her audience, the sheriff in conversation with the psychiatrist about certain concerns with her son. Both seemed surprised at her choice of conversation, but Emma expressed it through eyebrows only. Archibald Hopper spluttered for words.

"Really?" Emma asked, all practicality in her response, "I didn't think that Storybrooke had a tattoo parlor."

"They don't," Ruby answered quickly, cocking the hip her long tray was perched on. Her other hand was occupied with a half-full coffee pot, which she swirled absently, "but Boston does. I figured I'd hop on over there the next chance I can, get a little something to go, and hurry on back before anyone's the wiser."

At that very moment Archie finally found his words, "and what does Granny think about it?"

She scowled between the duo, focusing her irritated rebellion on neither party but rather somewhere out in the distance between, "what does it matter? It's _my_ body, not hers," her hair flipped as she whirled to turn and look at him, "_c'mon, Archie_, don't tell me you're on _her_ side. I thought that you were _my_ friend," she pouted becomingly and scooted a little closer, depositing her burden on the table so that she could lay her hand flat on the cheap Formica and look him dead on.

He blushed a ruddy color, and for half a second it seemed as though his glasses might fog up. The psychiatrist fiddled with his tie, loosening it as he attempted to look anywhere but at the attractive waitress in front of him, "I-I _am_ your f-friend, Ruby. It's just that…" he trailed off, looking past the young woman's curvaceous form to make eye contact with his current companion. Emma only shrugged helplessly, arms held up and open. He knew what she would say in the situation: 'kid's gotta make mistakes on her own.' Well, no help from that corner then.

"It's just that…" he started again, clearing his throat and steeling himself to look up and meet her gaze. Green eyes blinked back at him, mouth pursed thoughtfully as she pondered something hidden. He derailed a bit at the expression before forcing himself back on track. Trying to ignore the image that came with Ruby's declaration—smooth moon-white skin, marred by some ink stained 'tramp stamp'…whatever that was. (Some of the women around town had said the phrase, and he hadn't been able to filter it out.)

"Isn't that kind of like…"

Both women waited for him to finish what he was saying, leaning slightly forward. Finally, Ruby prompted, "like?"

"I-isn't that kind of l-like putting bumper stickers on a Ferrari?" He stuttered out the words, but they were the best explanation he could find. Emma, past Ruby's semi-blocking hip, gave him a nod of thoughtful admiration. She couldn't have said it better herself. The brunette, meanwhile, was processing the phrase.

Finally she broke out into a vermilion smile, showing teeth. Archie let out a sigh of relief, but it was short lived as she bent in half before him, his face inches from her own. Ruby trailed a hand over his shoulder to cup it around his cheek, thumb rubbing the slight stubble that rested there, pale and lightly prickled.

"Oh, Archie," she breathed with the slightest tilt of her wide grin, "you're such a sweetheart."

His lungs started back up only after she had moved away, hips sashaying as she went off to tend to other customers. Across from him Emma raised her brows conversationally. He shrugged and they moved on to bigger and better things.

But it was worth it when a few days later he heard her say that it was unlikely she'd ever get a tattoo.

~/~/~

AN: Just a little one-shot to tide me over as I finish Chapter 11 of the Gentleman. It came to me as I was getting ready for Church today, which is kind of ironic. XD My faith believes that one's bodies are sacred and that we need to take care of them, including the exclusion of tattoos.

That being said, while I_ definitely _don't want a tattoo, as an artist I believe that they can be a lovely art form in the right hands. So, Ruby is fine to get a tattoo if she likes.

But Ruby isn't just Ruby; _**she's Red, too**_. And I'm just not sure that Red would be happy when she found out about it. So this is essentially to protect _Red_ from _Ruby_ and her impulsiveness. XD It was a bit of a close one.

Plus I like the idea of Archie comparing her to a _fine looking automobile_. Just sayin'. –wink-

"Pinstriping" is a reference to the Disney/Pixar movie, "Cars." Ka-chow. ;)


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